


The War Inside

by dragongummy



Category: The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: David is understanding af, David wants to give Frank a hug, Developing Relationship, Dubious Consent, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Frank needs a hug, Friendship, Hugs, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mild Language, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, So I gave him one, frank needs a god damn hug, im so weak, lol sorry, ok, suggest at possible future sexual encounters, well david does
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-07 09:51:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12838647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragongummy/pseuds/dragongummy
Summary: David catches Frank with his hand over his front door, too afraid to knock.or:the fic in which Frank Castle gets the fucking hug he deserves.





	The War Inside

 

He's frozen standing outside the Lieberman's house. He was invited over, _begged over_ , really. For dinner. The texts, the calls. They didn't stop. From Sarah or David. His hand is hovering over the front door. He shouldn't be here. Something was going to go wrong. It had to. That knot in his chest. That knowing knot that tells him when there's something around the corner. And it's there. He knows it is; he can _feel_ it. The last time he didn't trust his instincts, Curtis' leg got blown off-

He clenches his teeth, his fingers twitch on an invisible trigger by his side and he can't be here. If he steps over that threshold, there will be no going back. He won't be able to save them from what will come. Whether it was today or tomorrow. They're _right here_ and if he goes in there, they're going to die. It's David and Sarah and _their kids_. His chest clenches. It's familiar. His breathing comes faster. No, no. Not here. He can't do this here. He steps backwards off of the porch. They don't deserve this, no one does. He doesn't -

"Were you even going to knock?" Frank jumps and whirls around, David's eyes watch him reach instinctively for his gun. But he doesn't say anything.

"I saw you pull up. I was watching for you." There's no judgement in his stare. It's just solemn. Solemn, blue eyed bastard. Frank sidesteps away from the porch. David takes a step towards him and Frank freezes. So does David. They stand there like that until Frank moves again, back towards the garage and towards his van. David follows. Frank stops.

"Tell me how to make this okay for you, man." Frank wants to leave. He can't do this. He can't be here. He's going to cry. Scream. Rage. He doesn't know. He _doesn't fucking know_ what he's going to do and a pathetic pained sound leaves him. David moves towards him and Frank swings. He stops the movement too late, _he didn't mean to_ , but his forearm cracks against David's side and David goes down. That's it, it's done. He's gone. He doesn't look back to see if David's okay. Because he's an asshole, because he's a fucking coward. Then David is in front of him, damn the little fucker, he was never that fast when he needed to be. He crowds Frank's space and Frank is backpeddling. David looks determined and now there are arms around him. Frank stiffens. They're chests are touching. One of David's arms is under his left and holding onto his back. The other is around his shoulder, trapping his right arm and clutching onto the back of Frank's neck. He can't breathe, his skin feels like it's burning. He jerks away from the touch.

"Shhhhhh," David is against his ear. His breath is hot on his skin. Frank doesn't realize he's shaking. But he does now and his face heats up with shame.

"You think I'm gunna hurt you or something, Frank?" He squeezes his arms around him and Frank for a moment wants to relax into it. David feels it too. But he puts his hand on David's shoulder and breaks free of his grasp. He thinks David lets him. Frank holds a hand out in between them to get distance. David opens his arms like a sign of surrender. Non threatening. But he walks closer to Frank. His stomach touches Frank's hand and Frank pulls it away.

"It's okay, Frank." There's that same understanding tone and Frank almost breaks under it.

"Lieberman," he says in a warning. Frank turns his head to make sure Sarah hadn't opened the door hearing the commotion. Or that Zach and Leo weren't watching from the window. No one was there. Frank feels trapped; his back is against the garage door that _he_ fixed all those months ago. He closes his eyes tight for a second. Maybe he'll wake up somewhere else. He opens his eyes and David is still walking towards him. He positions himself in the center of where Frank might bolt and Frank tries to catch his breath. It's starting to get harder to stand. He takes in air but it's not enough. He blinks back tears from the corners of his eyes.

"Stop. Stop it," Frank says weakly. "Lieberman, stop it." David is close to him now. So close that he can smell the food that he was just cooking in the kitchen. He bends to the side, to go around David somehow. His back hits the wall.

"I'm going to touch you now, okay? Don't hit me again, asshole." But David is smiling easy at him. Lopsided smile that's full of affection. It pushes Frank's guard down long enough for David to close the gap between them. Arms are around him again. His shirt is hiked up a few inches and there's a palm pressed flat against the bare skin on his lower back. Frank inhales sharply. Their chests are touching again. David is pushing him back. Back, back. Into the wall behind them and around the side of the house where no one could watch. There's a thigh pushing between his legs but it's not sexual. None of it is. He's holding Frank up, holding him in his arms. They're touching all over and David has to feel his heart racing. 

"Just breathe. Breathe," The hand on his lower back moves in soothing motions up and down his spine and David pushes closer to him when Frank shudders. 

"There you go. Just like that." Each successful breath and David whispers encouragements into his ear. After a few long minutes, Frank feels calmer. His head tilts back against the wall as breathing becomes easier. David runs his hand over the back of Frank's head in a pattern. A predictable pattern that Frank can follow. Frank's eyes close.

"Does it feel nice?" Quiet inquiry. The hand pushes into the knots at the base of his neck.

"Yeah," Frank offers. There's a mutual longing in the moment. Neither wants to part yet. Frank rests his hand on David's shoulder. The fingers on his lower back push into the indent of his spine. Soothing. Inhaling, Frank lets out a long shuddering sigh. With it goes most of his tension. Frank doesn't flinch when David's parted lips rest on his neck. Just pressing. Frank tilts his head. Frank can feel David smile a little onto his skin, but he keeps his lips there. There _might_ have even been a tip of a tongue dart out for an instant. Frank groans into the air next to David's ear when David's hand finds a particular angle in his neck that pushes away his soreness.

There's a comfortable silence between them and Frank can only imagine how they must look. Limbs wrapped around each other, Frank up against the wall. David's hand is _still_ up the back of his shirt with his leg _still_ between Frank's thighs while _still_ resting his lips on Frank's neck. At this point Frank _prays_  Sarah doesn't come around that corner.

"Is this okay?" 

"I...I think so." 

"Good. Come inside?" David's not telling Frank what to do and he appreciates that, but the intent is still there. He can hear the hope in his tone. The unasked invitation. In the fact that David _wants_ him to stay. David expresses that want by squeezing him tighter. Pushing his nose behind Frank's ear and biting lightly at the skin there. It's all affection. Pure, unadultered affection that Frank can feel. An affection that Frank has not allowed himself to feel for a very long time. That affection makes Frank's heartrate calm even more.

"Okay." 


End file.
